Collapsible crate.



B. G. ROCKWELL.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED 1730.6,1909.

Patented 0011.18,]910.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

B. G. ROCKWELL.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED DBQ.6,1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BYRD G. ROCKWELL, OF MALVERN, ARKANSAS.

GOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910. Serial No. 531,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRD C. ROCKWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Malvern, in the county of Hot Springs and State of Arkansas,have invented a new and useful Collapsible Crate, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to shipping crates of that type designed to becollapsed to a compact bundle one of the objects of the invention beingto provide a crate of this type which is light and strong and the partsof which can be readily assembled, the only separate parts to beadjusted being the top and bottom panels which are held in correctposition upon the crate in a simple and eflicient manner.

A further object is to provide a crate body made up of hingedlyconnected panels, the connections between the panels bein of an improvedtype which will not reac ily get out of order, are cheap to manufacture,and are practically invisible.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate embodyingthe present improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cratecollapsed, the bottom panel being elevated above the folded bodyportion. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the upper endportion of one end of the crate and showing the position assumed by thetop or bottom panel with relation to the end panels of the crate. Fig.4c is a vertical section through one of the corner posts of the crateand the adjoining parts and showing the means utilized for holding thepivot device in position within the post. Fig. 5 is a detail view of oneend portion of a modified form of top or bottom panel.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates acorner post having a longitudinal channel 2 in one face thereof, saidchannel being designed to receive the ends of slats 3 of veneer or thelike, it being understood that one of these posts is provided at eachend of the series of slats and the posts and slats combined constituteone of the end panels of the crate.

The slats 3 are secured within the channels in any preferred manner asby means of nails, extending transversely through them and a wire 4 isdisposed longitudinally within each channel and constitutes an abutmentfor the adjoining ends of the slats 3.

The ends of the wire project beyond the ends of the post 1. The crateconstituting the present invention is provided with two end panelsconstructed in the manner above described.

Each side panel of the crate consists of parallel stringers 5 havinglongitudinal channels 6 therein, each channel terminating at pointsremoved from the ends of the stringer and being arranged to receive theends of slats 7 formed of veneer or the like,

these slats constituting the sole connection between the two stringersof the side panels and being fastened within the stringers by means ofnails or the like.

An opening 8 is formed within each end portion of each of the stringers5 and the projecting ends of the wires 4L pass through these openingsand constitute pivotal connections between the stringers and the cornerposts 1, it being understood that the end portions of the stringers bearupon the ends of the corner posts as clearly indicated in Fig. 1.Parallel tie strips 9 are mounted upon the ends of the stringers 5 andextend parallel with the slats 3, each of these tie strips beingprovided in its outer face with a longitudinal channel 10, there being apair of openings 11 and 12 respectively within each end portion of i thechannel. Each opening 11 is designated to receive one of the wires 4 thesaid wire being provided with an L-shaped extension 13 which fits snuglywithin the channel 10 and the terminal of which is mounted within theopening 12. It will be seen therefore that when the two ends of a wirehave been arranged within opposed tie strips in the manner stated, saidstrips will. be held properly assembled with the stringers and thecorner posts at all times and will positively prevent the corner postsfrom pulling apart and off of the slats 3 to which they are secured. Oneor more openings 14 may be formed within each of the strips 10 at pointsbetween the ends thereof, each opening having a locking pin 15 arrangedtherein and projecting beyond that face of the strip nearest the slats3.

The top and bottom panels of the crate are preferably similar, each ofsaid panels consisting of cross strips 16 to which are secured the endportions of parallel slats 17 and 18, the intermediate slat 18 of eachpanel being shorter than the side slats, the length of said intermediateslat being substantially equal to the distance between the pins 15 uponthe opposed strips 10. An intermediate cross strip 19 is secured to theslats, the length of this strip being greater than the distance betweenthe stringers 5 of opposed side panels, so that when the top or bottompanel is placed upon the crate, the ends of the intermediate strip 19will bear upon the stringers while the ends of the slats 17 and thecross strips 16 connected to them, can be inserted under the strips 9.

It will be apparent that when the parts of the crate body are assembledin the manner herein described, the end panels can be folded onto theside panels as indicated in Fig. 2, the various wires 1 constituting thepivotal connections between the panels and being held positively againstdisplacement by the slats 3 and by the angular ends of the wires whichengage the strips 10.

lVhen it is desired to set up the crate for use, the panels are movedapart so as to assume positions at right angles to each other and thebottom panel, which is of the same structure as the top panel, is placedwith its intermediate cross strip 9 upon the side stringers 5. One endof the panel is then inserted under one of the strips 10after which theother end of said panel is bent inwardly and the entire panel shifted inthe opposite direction so as to bring both of the ends under opposedstrips 10 and with the pins 15 extending across the ends of theintermediate slat 18. Longitudinal displacement of the said bottom panelwith relation to the balance of the crate is thus prevented unless oneend of the said panel is depressed so as to be capable of moving pastthe holding pin 15 in the path thereof. After the bottom panel has beenplaced in position and the crate filled, the top panel can be applied inthe same manner.

Although the top and bottom panels are preferably formed with the middleslats shorter than the side slats, as illustrated in Fig. 3 it is to beunderstood that, it preferred, one or more notches may be formed withinthe ends of the slats for the recepit being noted that the slats 3 tionof the holding pins and as indicated at 20 in Fig. 5.

It will be seen that a crate constructed in the manner herein describedis very light and durable, 1t be1ng possible to form 1t almost entirelyof veneer slats. Importance is attached to the particular means employedfor fastening the wires 4: in the corner posts, which make up the bodyportions of the end panels, project into these corner posts and hold thewires in proper positions within the channels. It thus becomesunnecessary to use staples or other fastening devices solely for thepurpose of holding the wire in place.

Various changes can of course be made in the construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A crate consisting of longitudinally channeled corner posts, wiresextending longitudinally within and beyond the ends of the channels,connections projecting into the channels and secured to the posts tohold the wires against lateral displacement within the channels, saidconnections and posts constituting end panels, and side panels pivotallymounted upon the projecting ends of the wires.

2. A crate including parallel stringers, connections there between andcooperating therewith to constitute side panels, corner posts interposedbetween the ends of the stringers and channeled longitudinally, wiresdisposed longitudinally within said channeled corner posts and extendingtherebeyond and through the stringers, said wires constituting pivotalconnections between the posts and stringers, and slats connected to thecorner posts and extending into the channels, the ends of said slatsabutting against the wires to hold the wires against displacement in atransverse direction.

3. A crate including longitudinally channeled corner posts, wiresextending longitudinally within the channels and beyond the ends of theposts, connecting means in terposed between the posts and havingopposite ends seated within the channels and abutting against the wires,said means being adapted to hold the wires against displaeement in atransverse direction and side panels pivotally mounted upon theprojecting portions of the wires.

4. A crate including longitudinally channeled corner posts, Wiresextending longitudinally within the channels and beyond the ends of theposts, devices interposed between the posts and extending into thechannels to hold the wires against displacement in a transversedirection, strips adjacent the ends of the posts and engaged byrtheterminal portions of the wires, and side panels having end portionsprojecting between the posts and strips and pivotally mounted upon thewires.

5. A crate consisting of hingedly connected side and end panels, eachend panel including corner posts, connections between said posts, andpivot devices disposed longitudinally within the posts and retainedtherein by the connections, tie strips engaged by the terminals of thepivot devices retaining projections upon said strips, and panels havingtheir end portions insertible between the said strips and the endpanels, each of said insertible panels having intermediate means forbearing upon the side panels.

6. A crate including corner posts, said posts being channeledlongitudinally, pivot evices seated within and extending beyond the endsof the channels, connections between the posts and projecting intothechannels, said connections constituting means for holding the pivotdevices against displacement in a transverse direction, side panelshaving their end portions pivotally mounted upon said pivot devices andbearing on the ends of the corner posts, strips mounted on the pivotdevices and connectingv the corner posts, said strips, corner posts andconnections constituting end panels, a projection upon each strip, topand bottom panels insertible between the strips and the connectionsbetween the corner posts, each of said inserted panels having cut-awayend portions for the reception of the projections, and means upon eachof said panels adjacent the center thereof for bearing upon the sidepanels to prevent the depression of the middle portions of said insertedpanels.

7. A folding crate including pivotally connected side and end panels,strips parallel with and connected to the end panels, a holdingprojection upon each of said strips, and top and bottom panels, each ofsaid last mentioned panels including connected bendable members andmeans upon the intermediate portions of said members for bearing uponthe side panels there being cut-away portions at the ends of said panelsfor receiving the projections upon the strips when the ends of saidpanels are inserted between said strips and the end panels.

8. A folding crate consisting of hingedly connected side and end panels,strips connecting the end portions of the side panels, said strips beingparallel with the end panels, projections upon said strips and extendingin the direction of the end panels, and centrally supported top andbottom panels having ends depressible and insertible between the stripsand the end panels and against the projections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. BYRD G. ROCKWVELL.

Witnesses:

J. R. FREDRICKSON, FRANK EDWARDS.

